What am I expected to say or do about the phenomenal Deathly Hallows 2 revenues? I’m obliged to re-post them, but I’m unable to generate (or simulate) that “oooh! oooh!” excitement that I’m getting from certain reports. Were they written by people on pogo sticks undergoing some kind of rapture? Take it easy.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 opens today domestically, but the int’l openings began two days ago. And the int’l tally is now $82.5 million from 43 countries ($37.6 million Thursday and $43.6 million Wednesday). Last night’s U.S. midnight showings generated $43.5 million at 3,800 locations, which is $13.5 million higher than previous midnight record holder of $30 million earned by Twilight: Eclipse.

Deathly Hallows 2 is a very well-done film and a satisfying finale, but the box-office mania of the last couple of days doesn’t synch with the actual levels of delivery and achievement. Death Hallows 2 is like a single exceptional leopard, and the box-office response is a herd of 1,000 elephants. I have absolute knowledge of what this film is and a fair-minded understanding of what the Harry Potter franchise finally amounts to, and there’s no justification for people of taste and character and worldly perspective to respond this way. Certainly not in the eyes of the Movie Godz.

We’re obviously witnessing a mass emotional response to the end of a franchise by two kinds of people for the most part — i.e, those who were infected by the Potter virus as children and who probably aren’t as deep or bright or educated as they could or should be, and X-factor types who don’t lack in these departments but were also infected as children and are simply unable for reasons unknown to keep themselves from pounding on theatre doors.

I should add that my sons Jett and Dylan were Potter fans when they were kids, tweeners and early teens, but they’re past it now and want nothing to do with the DH2 insanity. Good fellows.

If everyone was like me, there would be a lot of people watching Deathly Hallows 2 this weekend because it’s a good film, etc., but you wouldn’t see the madness.